XCOM Level
As someone who deeply loves strategy RPGs, working on this project with my friends was an incredible experience. It gave me the opportunity to think like a designer in a game genre that is very close to my heart. Collaborating with others who share my passion helped me develop new perspectives on design, while still giving me creative control over my own level.
In this project, four level designers—including myself—each created a level inspired by XCOM. We worked together to discuss themes, metrics, and core mechanics, analyzing the original XCOM game to understand its strengths and intricacies. This collaborative environment allowed us to refine our designs while staying true to the essence of the genre.
In the future, I plan to develop my own strategy game level and script the mechanics myself, so stay tuned for that!
Project Overview
Each of us had complete ownership over the design of our individual levels, while still aligning with shared goals and metrics that we defined together. We analyzed XCOM’s mechanics, cover placements, and mission design to inform our work. Throughout the project, we met regularly to discuss ideas and provide feedback on one another’s levels. These discussions shaped our approach to cover mechanics, environment design, and player objectives, ensuring that each level captured the tactical, high-stakes gameplay that defines XCOM.
For my level, I created an abandoned, partly destroyed city. I wanted to evoke the feeling of navigating through an urban environment that has been left in ruins, with debris and broken buildings providing natural cover for the units. The environment design aimed to reinforce tactical movement and careful decision-making, with cover placements guiding players to think strategically about their positioning.
Design Process
Reference Board Creation:
I began by gathering visual references to establish the aesthetic I wanted to achieve—an eerie, post-apocalyptic urban environment. These references helped me plan the layout and structure of the level while staying aligned with the overall theme of decay and tactical gameplay. (Shown in the first set of images.)
Top-Down Map Design:
I created an initial top-down map to outline the flow of the level and the placement of key elements, such as cover points and mission objectives. After receiving feedback from my peers, I made adjustments to improve the layout and player movement, which resulted in the final map design. (Displayed in the second set of images.)
Iteration and Blockout:
Using the final map as my guide, I built the first blockout of the level in Unreal Engine. As the design progressed, I refined the cover placements and adjusted the geometry of the buildings to better convey the environment's narrative. I focused on creating multiple paths and dynamic cover points to allow players a range of strategic options during gameplay. The images above show the evolution of the level through these stages, from early blockouts to the near-final version.
Collaboration and Tools
While we each retained creative control over our individual levels, we held regular group discussions to align on:
Cover mechanics: Ensuring every level included varied cover placements that required tactical thinking.
Aesthetics and Environment Design: Making sure our levels felt distinct yet cohesive within the same world.
Mission Objectives: Defining clear goals that encouraged players to think strategically and adapt their tactics.
To handle the technical side of our project, we used the Advanced Turn-Based Tile Toolkit by Knut Overbye from the Unreal Marketplace, which provided the core functionality for our levels. This allowed us to focus on level design while leveraging the toolkit’s mechanics to create turn-based gameplay.
Final Level Overview
In my abandoned city level, players navigate through a maze of ruined buildings and debris-filled streets. The broken environment offers dynamic cover opportunities, with half-destroyed walls and cars serving as obstacles and protection. The level is designed to encourage careful positioning and tactical movement—each turn requires thoughtful planning, and every move can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
The images above capture the progression of the blockout, showing how I adjusted the layout to balance aesthetics with strategic gameplay. The final version enhances the narrative feel of the ruined city while providing engaging tactical challenges.
Conclusion
Working on this project was an incredible learning experience, allowing me to dive deeper into the design of strategy RPGs while collaborating with friends. The opportunity to analyze XCOM’s mechanics and create my own level was invaluable, reinforcing both my love for the genre and my desire to develop a strategy game of my own in the future.
This project not only tested my skills in level design and iteration but also gave me the chance to collaborate meaningfully while maintaining creative control. I’m proud of the work I put into my level, and I’m excited to explore new ideas and mechanics in future projects. Stay tuned for what comes next!